7/8/11

At different times in my life, my little sister Melissa has been a crime partner, an adversary, a co-star and a stranger. Nowadays I’m glad to say that she is one of my closest allies. Somewhere along the line, she managed to become cooler than me, which was pretty devastating at first, but I figure it was just the advantage of having a bad-ass older brother. I have compiled a list of 10 random Melissa Moments I look back on with a special fondness.

1. The time she helped me convince my mom to buy us Zanzibar and Zarana because it would encourage us to play GI Joe together.2. When she helped me get the house straight before our folks got home after a hardcore, highschool kegger.3. The time she volunteered to join me on a impulsive 24 hour trip to Tijuana and back, just so we could see Santo vs. La Parka in a cage match.4. Every time she hooks up dank from her job at a medical marijuana dispensary!5. The time she bought me a book on Mexican paletas and the popsicle molds, just because.6. The amazing ‘Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ get-togethers she’s hosted for the last few seasons.7. The time we decided to revolt against the babysitter and made picket signs to express what a bitch she was being.8. Every time she had my back when we’d get into throw-downs with other little kids at parks (which happened pretty much every time we were allowed to go to the park).9. The time we watched lucha in a nightclub and devised an alcohol system made up of a garbage can and a bottle of Southern Comfort.10. When she woke me up on a Saturday morning to excitedly report that she had beaten the Germany level on Road Rash for the Sega Genesis.

I wanted to stencil up something nice for her birthday this year and started working on a classic photo of her I had. A recent obsession with hounds-tooth ensured it’s inclusion and I was able to revisit a previous technique involving painting both sides of a piece of glass, as well as incorporating a separate background. Each layer is comprised of several stencil layers, giving it a nice depth that reminds me of an animation cell. It strayed pretty far from what I’d originally envisioned, as I kept tweaking elements (dig the subtle sunburst effect on the frame) and it took me a week past her birthday to finish up (a fact she playfully gave me shit about until it was done).

Happy Birthday, Melissa. Can’t wait for the season premier of Always Sunny. I’ll bring the popsicles!